The superintendent of Meriden Public Schools in Meriden Conn., Mark D. Benigni, was honored with the first EmpowerED Digital Superintendent of the Year Award during the 2nd General Session at the AASA national conference in San Diego.
A lifelong Meriden resident, Benigni is a product of the Meriden Public Schools. He has served as superintendent since 2010.
This award, sponsored by Classlink, recognizes an exceptional district Superintendent who serves as a true empowered leader, leveraging and championing technologies in the classroom and throughout the district to transform the school district.
AASA and CoSN, the Consortium for School Networking, launched a partnership in 2019 committed to building a community of engaged superintendents and other school system leaders who have the skills and knowledge to bolster dynamic digital learning environments on behalf of K-12 students. That partnership led to the creation of the award.
Said Dan Domenech, the AASA executive director in announcing the award: “Superintendents can make or break educational technology initiatives. They are responsible for ensuring that their school districts embrace transformative digital learning.”